Nemesism
by Nyx and Athena
Summary: Harry Potter had nothing left to live for. But Fawkes gave him another chance in a different world, where his twin sister resides, everyone is still alive, and where Voldemort remains undefeated. Now, in an alternate dimension, with Arianna Potter besides him, Harry must defeat Voldemort once again. After all, neither can live while the other survives. AU.
1. Prologue

A dark-haired boy entered the Three Broomsticks, looking worn out. He approached Rosmerta, head down. He looked no more then 17 years old. He was carrying a trunk. A white owl was perched on his shoulder. As he looked up at Rosmerta, she was surprised at the startling blue.

"Hello, ma'am," the boy greeted, a tired smile on his face. "May I please rent a room here for a while? I just finished an exhausting trip," he said politely. Rosmerta nodded, and began to take him upstairs.

"Yes, sir. I'm Rosmerta, landlady of the Three Broomsticks Inn. Can you tell me what your name is?" Rosmerta asked, stopping in front of an empty room. The dark-haired boy replied after a moment of hesitation.

"James," he stated confidently. "James Black." Rosmerta smiled.

"Funny that you should say Black - one of the professors at Hogwarts looks just like you. His name's Sirius Black." Harry, upon hearing those words, adopted a mask of indifference. His heartbeat became faster, but Harry made sure he looked uncaring to it all as Rosmerta continued, "That reminds me. You aren't a Hogwarts student? You look like one with those robes."

"Er, no. Black robes are common, anyways. Plus I don't have a badge. Interesting that I should like like a professor, though. Now, how much is the room?"

After paying, Harry walked in, and closed the door behind him, sighing.

After a quick Muffliato, Harry unpacked and quickly changed into his pyjamas. He took a vial of Dreamless Sleep, then collapsed on the bed and closed his eyes, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the windows. Harry yawned, stretching his arms. He got out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he brushed his teeth. Harry then pulled on a pair of trousers and a clean T-shirt. Slipping on some black robes, Harry grabbed his wand, put it in his holster, and walked out the door.

Harry entered the bar, smiling at Rosmerta. Looking around, he saw some Hogwarts students around. A redhead approached Rosmerta.

"Hey, Rosie. Think you can give my mates and I three Butterbeers?" the redhead asked, sliding over some Galleons. Rosmerta rolled her eyes. Harry resisted the urge to snort. In all his life, he had never heard anyone call Rosmerta "Rosie".

"Sure, Arianna. Say, where's Nagini?" Rosmerta asked absently, taking the Galleons. Harry wasn't listening, just staring at his quasi-sibling as she responded, "Oh, Nagini's back at Hogwarts."

Arianna Potter was petite and slender. She had an elfin look to her, with slightly pointed ears and a mischievous look to her. Her hair was a deep red and her eyes a piercing hazel. Apparently, she was captain of the Slytherin quidditch team, according to her badge. When she caught Harry staring, a sneer that could rival Snape's settled on her face. The mischievous look disappeared, and even her elf-like ears added a malicious touch. It was like she had a whole different personality.

Glaring at Harry, Arianna growled, "What are you looking at?" Harry snapped out of it, turning to Rosmerta.

"Er, Rosmerta, I was wondering if I could get a job here, since I'm sort of doing nothing..." Harry trailed off. Rosmerta smiled, looking excited at the prospect of having another employee.

"Sure, you'll be a great help, James. Want to take the Butterbeers over to Arianna's table when they're ready?" Harry nodded, still staring at Arianna as she returned to her table.

Rosmerta let out a laugh, noticing (and misinterpreting) his looks. "James, I'll tell you right now, you won't be able to get the infamous Arianna Potter. Anyways," she said, handing Harry the glass cups, "here are the Butterbeers." Harry grabbed them, then walked to Arianna's table and set them down.

Arianna was sitting with some Slytherins that Harry had known only by name: Daphne Greengrass, the ice queen, and Theodore Nott, the mysterious bloke. Their families had been neutral, but in the end, Daphne had gone with her sister and stood by Harry. Theodore had done some undercover work, last time Harry checked. They, along with Snape and Malfoy, were the only Slytherins Harry respected.

"Thanks," Daphne bit out gruffly. Theodore eyed him, looking mildly interested. Harry couldn't help but inwardly snort. Theodore had always been a Slytherin, but there were these touches of Ravenclaw. He would analyze everything, trying to peg them down. It was just how his brain worked.

Daphne was always a bit more indifferent. She had only really cared when it had to do with her or the people she loved. On the other hand, while the girl was certainly ruthless and would do anything to get what she wanted, she was a strong believer in justice. In fact, Harry recalled her want to murder Pettigrew when she found out about how he had lied and betrayed the Potters.

Sending a sideways glance to Arianna, Theodore spoke, jolting Harry out of his daydream. "I suppose you're new here, aren't you?" Harry blinked.

"How'd you know?" he asked, a wry smile on his face. He wasn't really surprised that Theodore had caught on. Theodore shrugged.

"Whenever someone starts staring at Arianna, you sort of know that they aren't from here," Daphne piped up. Arianna looked uncaring, sipping at her Butterbeer. She was probably used to it - after all, Harry had gotten over it as well. On the other hand, people had worshipped Harry. If Arianna Potter was really _in_famous, then obviously it would've been worse for her then for Harry.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, got here yesterday. S'pose you three are Hogwarts students?" They all nodded.

"7th years. Occupation: fighting Voldemort," Daphne joked. Harry snorted, but his insides were in turmoil. Were they really fighting and standing up for themselves? Sure, apparently Voldemort was still alive and massacring people, but...he shook the thoughts from his head, bringing himself back to the conversation.

"Awesome. Must feel like an ego boost, that. Anyways, call for James. I'll be around." Harry turned around, leaving the Slytherins. He heard another small snippet of the conversation.

"I don't trust him." That was Arianna. Well, that's a shame. After all, this would work better if Arianna trusted him.

"You might not trust anyone, Ari, but I like him." That was Theodore. Daphne muttered an agreement, and Harry couldn't stop the grin that had spread over his face.

_Thank you, Theodore, _Harry thought.


	2. Chapter 1

_Harry fell to his knees, looking up at the sky and screaming with raw pain. The wind whistled and howled. Rubble coated the half-destroyed grounds. Bodies surrounded Harry - Hermione, Luna, Ron, Remus...all dead._

_All because of him._

_A flash of red streaked across the sky, getting closer to Harry. It was Fawkes, and he looked angry._

Harry shot up in bed, pale and sweaty. He knew how that dream would've gone. Fawkes would've entered his mind, angry and saying it was his fault. Dream-Harry would be upset and anguished, because if the phoenix was angry with him, it was obviously his fault.

That was not that reality. No. Fawkes had comforted him and told Harry about the different dimensions.

He had told him about Arianna, telling him that she was infamous and a Dark witch. He had also told Harry that Arianna was firmly against Voldemort. So she was a shade of grey. Apparently she had a cat named Bastet and had Nagini as another familiar. Kind of creepy, seeing your enemy's snake side with your possible ally, but whatever.

Fawkes had told Harry about dead people. Sirius, Remus, and Snape were alive. Funnily enough, Sirius and Snape were _friends. _Remus had gotten in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor, but had still managed a friendship with James, Pettigrew, Sirius, and (how was this _possible?_) Snape. While Snape had still been rivals with James, Sirius, and Pettigrew, he had become friends with Remus.

Course, when James died and Pettigrew ran, he and Sirius developed an . . . understanding, which became a (shudder) _friendship_.

It was all rather interesting, really.

Dumbledore was still a meddler. Ron and Mione were dating already. Malfoy was somewhat good, but Harry would believe it when he saw it.

Universe-travlers galore.

Harry sighed, banishing his thoughts. He got up, and prepared for another day at the Three Broomsticks Inn.

As he started getting ready, Hedwig started hooting, looking annoyed. Harry had found out that in this dimension, Hedwig didn't exist. Which kind of worked out in his favor, if you thought about it. Laughing, Harry fed her some owl treats before leaving. Rosmerta was waiting downstairs for him with a big wooden box, top firmly closed. She smiled at him.

"Perfect timing, James. Could you bring this box to Hogwarts? Give it to Professor Dumbledore. He's Headmaster," she explained (needless to say, it was unnecessary). "They need it for the upcoming Christmas Dance." Rosmerta handed him the box. The contents trembled and slid around in it.

"What's in here?" Harry asked curiously, trying to balance the box.

"Butterbeer and Firewhisky—but obviously that's only for the adults. There are two thousand bottles in there. Obviously, I've put a charm on them. Eat first, though," was Rosmerta's response. Harry gave a nod and set the box down on the table. Going behind the bar, he quickly made his breakfast and wolfed it down.

Along with that, he helped out Rosmerta for a bit before delivering the box.

"See you later, Rosmerta," Harry called. Rosmerta smiled and waved before turning back to her morning customers.

Harry briskly walked through the streets of Hogsmeade. So Dumbledore was still alive then? All the worse for Harry. He loved the Headmaster, but chances are it'd be difficult to avoid his meddling and curiousity.

Harry sighed and set a faster pace.

The early morning was cold and the sky was a light blue. A chill wrapped it's way around Harry. Shivering, he bundled his robes closer together. Winter was (annoyingly enough) here. Fresh snow adorned the naked oaks and colorful evergreens. Not many people were around, trying to stay warm inside. Shivering once more, Harry quickly cast a Warming Charm.

Harry walked up the crest of a hill and stopped. He could see Hogwarts now, and it looked so . . . different. Instead of the high, mighty castle with turrets and towers he'd known in the other dimension, Hogwarts had multiple buildings. One was completely draped in red and gold banners, though Harry could see green and silver paint underneath them. A Gryffindor prank, if Harry were to take a guess. A giant emerald snake with black, beady eyes, and pearly white fangs surrounded the entire building. It had been wonderfully carved.

As he watched, the eyes suddenly glowed and the scales shimmered. The head moved back to let a couple of disgruntled students out before resuming its original position. A few seconds later, the tail moved to let another student out. Harry continued to observe the castle.

Another building had been painted red and gold with a huge lion right next a gold door.

The lion was grand and majestic. It had a large gold mane and a scarred muzzle. It held itself in a way that suggested he was king, and you better remember it. Slivers of the wall and lion were splashed with green paint. So Slytherin had retaliated.

Without needing to look, he knew that there would be two more buildings for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The other buildings looked like classrooms. One was completely made out of glass. Harry could see all sorts of crazy stuff blossoming in there. The greenhouse.

Oh, the memories. Ah, 2nd year . . . yeah, no. And the OWLs were a pain in the arse. Harry shook his head, walking to the castle with the box in hand.

He entered through the great oak doors.

It was dramatic.

Students turned to look at him, but Harry ignored dutifully. He noticed small details of change - probably the result of technology actually advancing in the wizarding world. Not by much, but enough to make a difference.

There were no robes anymore. They all wore flexible clothes and most had a wand holster somewhere. For some reason, there were drafts, but before Harry could feel them, he suddenly became warmer. _Warming Charms, _Harry thought, _not bad._

Harry glanced upwards. The staircases were still moving, but suddenly, one of them disappeared. Harry's eyes widened in surprise. _Whoa, _he thought, _interesting_ _much?_ This was all a surprise to Harry. As he walked, gazing at Hogwarts, he heard some sniggers behind him. Turning around, he felt his wand slide into his hand. In front of him, his attacker put her hands up.

"Sorry, Black. Didn't know you were paranoid," Arianna Potter said, a sneer on her face. Harry was about to reply blankly, say something about him not being a Black, before he remembered that he was James Black, and under a glamour, for that matter. Harry sighed, pocketing his wand. Arianna watched, looking curious. She looked over Harry, eyes focusing on the box he was holding. "What are you doing here?"

"Delivering something to the Headmaster," Harry informed her, walking along the tiled marble floors. Arianna sighed, then caught up with Harry, falling into to step beside him.

"What's it for?" she inquired, then wrinkled her nose. "You reek of Firewhisky." Harry grinned, then "accidently" stumbled into Arianna.

"Hey, love. Whatcha doing tonight?" Harry slurred. Arianna sniggered before shoving him. "Anyways, Arianna, I'm delivering some Butterbeer and Firewhisky," Harry told her, whistling.

Arianna continued to watch him, observing it all. Harry felt like he was being tested. She was absorbing all this information, turning it over and over in her head. And he was still waiting for the grade.

"Dammit. I was so sure you were a drunk." With that, Arianna Potter disappeared, taking her secrets with her.

* * *

Harry stopped in front of the familiar gargoyle, only then realizing that he didn't have the password. Sighing, he began to take guesses.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans? Sugar Quills? Chocolate Frogs? Acid Drops?" Harry tried desperately. To his surprise, the gargoyle moved at "Acid Drops". Letting out a whoop, Harry walked up to Dumbledore's office. Entering the room, he almost jumped when he saw Severus Snape talking to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore caught sight of the newcomer, and beamed.

"You must be James Black," he said jovially. "Rosmerta told me you'd come along soon. I suppose that box has the Firewhiskeys and Butterbeers?" James nodded at the question, setting the box down on a table. Snape eyed him suspiciously.

"Who are you?" he asked. James resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"James Black. I work at the Three Broomsticks—Rosmerta needed help with all the customers," Harry responded. Snape just sneered, turning back to Dumbledore.

"Sit down, Mr. Black. Tell me about yourself," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. Harry sighed inwardly, but did as he was told. Dumbledore smiled benignly.

"Well, Mr. Black, how did you get here?" That was the first question Dumbledore asked. Harry had prepped himself, and already had an answer.

"I've travelled a bit. I was born in Britain, then went to America for a while. I've gone to Spain, Italy, France . . . and I decided to come back—I suppose I was homesick. I had money and such, but I still needed a job. So I ended up working for Rosmerta," Harry explained. Dumbledore nodded slowly.

"Any family or something of the sort?" Dumbledore queried. Harry shook his head.

"My mother and father died a couple of years ago. I don't have any other relatives that I know of," Harry answered.

Dumbledore continued to ask Harry about his life. It was godsend when Harry could finally leaved.

He grumbled to himself about meddling old Headmasters. Dumbledore had no right—_no right_—to quiz Harry about his life. What was he playing at?

Harry continued to walk around Hogwarts, muttering to himself absently. His head was down, so he didn't noticed when he smashed into someone.

"For the sake of Merlin's saggy left—" Harry was interrupted. Shame, really.

"Er, no language like that in Hogwarts, Mister . . ." the man trailed off, and Harry blinked. It couldn't be—sure, Fate hated him, but she wouldn't do something this bad, right? Harry slowly looked up from the ground, and found himself staring into the blue eyes of Sirius Black.

Harry's heart stopped beating for a second. Variations of _SiriusisaliveSiriusisaliveSiriusisaliveSiriusisalive_ thundered through his mind. Sirius eyed him oddly before bursting out laughing.

"Relax. I'm joking. But who are you?" Sirius asked, examining the boy in front of him. "I don't think I've seen you around." Harry shook himself out of it, getting up.

"James. James Black. I work at the the Three Broomsticks," Harry introduced himself, shaking Sirius's hand. Sirius's eyebrows furrowed.

"Black? Are you a pureblood?" Sirius inquired curiously. Harry shook his head.

"Halfblood. Maybe I'm distantly related to the Blacks or something. I don't really know—my lineage is sorta messed up, you know?" Sirius let out a hearty chuckle.

"For sure—my heritage's pretty messed up too. Probably a result of all the inbreeding the purebloods do and all. Anyways, James, I have to go. See you around." With that, Sirius clapped Harry on the back and made his way down the hallway, leaving a still-in-shock Harry Potter behind.

* * *

"James!" Rosmerta exclaimed as the dark-haired boy entered the inn. Harry smiled.

"Hi Rosmerta," he greeted the woman. Harry surveyed the Three Broomsticks. There weren't many people today. Turning back to Rosmerta, Harry quickly told her some of what happened at Hogwarts. "I delivered the Butterbeers and Firewhiskeys. Also, I met Professor Black. You were right—he does look a bit like me."

Rosmerta nodded. "Interesting, no? Anyways, eat a bit, then come back here and help me out, okay?" Harry nodded and went to the back of the shop, quickly making a lunch. He ate it quickly, rather hungry. After finishing, he ran back to Rosmerta, who beamed.

"OK, so the couple back there wants 2 Butterbeerds . . ."

The rest of the day was spent helping Rosmerta. _Minus Dumbledore's meddling_, Hary reflected, _it was a pretty good day.__  
_

* * *

Rosmerta nodded. "Interesting, right? Anyways, I'm going to close up. You go up and sleep for a bit," she ordered. Harry shook his head.

"What? No!" he protested. "You might need help!" Rosmerta rolled her eyes at Harry's words.

"Honestly, James. I'm not some sort of damsel in distress. Go sleep," she commanded. Sighing, Harry turned and began to walk towards his room, but not before grabbing a roll.

"G'night, Rosmerta," he called. Rosmerta smiled at the blue-eyed boy.

"Goodnight, James." Turning towards the crowd, Rosmerta too out her wand and quietly muttered, "Sonorus." A small smile settling upon her face, Rosmerta began to speak.

"30 minutes until closing time!" Her loud voice reached everyone's ears. Drunks lumbered out of the inn, while others quickly asked for one more Butterbeer or Firewhiskey.

Upstairs, Harry found himself cracking up.


	3. Chapter 2

Ok, this was getting out of hand. Over the course of the last two weeks, Rosmerta had somehow found a way to get Harry to visit Hogwarts twenty stinking times! And he had been counting. Harry suspected Rosmerta wanted him to find some friends around his age. She always thought Harry needed to play a bit more and be less serious. If she knew what Harry knew, she wouldn't be all smiles and cheer either. But, since Rosmerta was both woefully and blissfully ignorant, Harry put up with it.

Within the span of two weeks, he'd come to know this Hogwarts really well.

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs' houses were really something.

Ravenclaw's house was painted methodically with blue and bronze paint. The designs were intricate and detailed. It had no visible door. Instead, the students knocked on the walls and a melodious voice sang a riddle. If they answered correctly, they were allowed in. If not, well better luck next time. It was a lot like the old one, but still had subtle differences. A giant eagle made out of marble sat on top of the building. It was painted exquisitely.

Hufflepuff's house was nice. The walls were painted yellow, except where the black paint was. The black always spelled out one word: Loyalty. Typical Hufflepuffs. All the Ls in "Loyalty" were in the shape of a badger. You had to knock in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff, which Harry thought was rather interesting. Justin Finch-Fletchly had shown him that in the other dimension, although you knocked on a barrel near the kitchen.

After visiting Hogwarts so many times, Harry had slowly gotten closer to Arianna, Daphne, and Theo. That had prevented him from becoming friends with Ron, because of his natural prejudices. Harry didn't blame Ron for it. It was just the vibe that Arianna and Co. executed. Harry had taken to calling them the Silver Trio. There were two reasons for that. A, back in the other dimension, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been the Golden Trio. B, silver was a Slytherin color. Therefore, the Silver Trio.

Arianna seemed to be semi-friends with Luna, but hated Ginny with a passion. She had christened her "that weasel bitch" or, in true Malfoy fashion, the Weaslette. Harry was rather surprised—Ginny may have had a temper, but as far as he could see, she wasn't very mean. Of course, it seemed Ron had sort of gotten to her. Arianna and Ginny had had an encounter earlier in that week, and insults had been tossed.

It went sort of like this:

The Silver Trio were outside, doing homework. Ginny and a friend had been on the other side when Ginny had overheard something from Arianna.

Arianna: Ugh, don't get me started on the Weasel. No wonder Malfoy doesn't like him. He called me [insert something Harry wouldn't repeat unless he was talking to Bellatrix Lestrange]. (Harry didn't know Ron was that rude. Maybe it's the whole universe-traveling thing. Or maybe he really hates Arianna.)

Ginny: You bitch! Ron would never say that! On the other hand (she said this rather snidely) an evil Slytherin like you would deserve it.

Arianna: Watch it, Weaslette. Don't want to . . . disappear, do you? (Arianna mimed slicing her neck. Kind of disturbed Harry, but he knew Arianna was merely threatening Ginny. Hopefully).

Ginny: Excuse me? (Because obviously, in this dimension, Gin can't hear. At all.)

Daphne: Can you _hear, _girl? Honestly! (Daphne was also a mind-reader in this dimension. Go figure.)

And of course, they had a fight, Ginny tried the Bat-Bogey Hex, Arianna was too quick, shielded herself, and gave Ginny a neat Stupefy. And left the scene after Stupefying Ginny's friend.

Rather funny, the way Daphne told it. Ah, whatever. Harry sighed, and walked down the stairs.

Suddenly, he heard a crash. Harry's eyes widened, and he ran down, wand out and ready. Rosmerta had dropped a glass, and was staring outside. Turning to Harry, she quickly explained.

"Death Eater attack. Hogsmeade weekend. Move." Rosmerta grabbed her wand, running out the door. Harry followed her.

Outside, Hogsmeade streets were in disarray. Hogwarts students were screaming as apricot-colored flames licked the sky. Some brave ones were trying to duel Death Eaters, who were sending Dark curse after Dark curse at the children.

Scanning the area, Harry looked for the Silver Trio, keeping an eye out for others (Ron, Hermione, Ginny, etc.) as well.

Jumping into the battle, Harry let his reflexes take over. He was turning and aiming with deadly precision, using Dark spells of every variety. No mercy showed in his eyes as he Avada'd the nearest Death Eater. Narrowly dodging a Crucio, Harry flicked his wand, sending another Death Eater flying. Grinning to himself, he sent a Conjunctivitis Curse at another.

"Sectumsempra," he muttered quietly, still looking for the Silver Trio. He almost got whiplash when he heard Daphne scream.

Theodore and Arianna were battling their hardest against Antonin Dolohov, who had a nasty smile on his face as Siobhan Zabini (with Blaise at her side) placed Daphne under the Cruciatus Curse. The blonde-haired girl let loose another scream, tears making their way down her cheek. Harry ran to them, casting a Protego behind him and firing spells as he sprinted. Shoving Siobhan, she stumbled. Daphne lay on the ground, shaking.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry exclaimed, levitating her to a small corner. He nodded towards Theo's torn look.

"Go," he muttered quickly, turning to the Zabinis and Dolohov. Dodging the oncoming Entrail-Expelling Curse, Harry and Arianna began to duel against the Death Eaters.

While his mind wasn't on either Dolohov, Siobhan, or Blaise, he couldn't help but notice his quasi-sibling.

Arianna was _good. _She could send a good Entrail-Expelling Curse if she put her mind to it. As she cast Dark curse after Dark curse, Harry felt a bit proud. _Aw, _he thought, _it's adorable. _Shaking his head, Harry aimed a neat Reducto at Siobhan as Arianna muttered Protego, protecting herself from Blaise's oncoming spell. Harry let out a growl. Dolohov and Siobhan. Weren't. Dying.

"Avada Kadevra," Harry said forcefully when he saw an opening. The bright green light hit Dolohov, who fell to the ground, dead. Siobhan's eyes widened, and she backed away, calling to Blaise softly. Blaise cast a Protego before scampering off with his mother.

"Cowards!" Harry yelled after them, before turning to Arianna. He cocked his head at Daphne and Theo. Arianna nodded, and broke into a run. Harry followed her. There were still a couple of Death Eaters around, but most were being handled by the locals. The Aurors hadn't arrived yet. They were probably as inadequate as they were in the other dimension.

Somethings just never change.

Harry laughed inwardly, but sobered up as he neared Daphne and Theo.

Harry bent down, muttering a fast Episkey and some other healing spells.

"It's the best I can do right now. Get that checked out by Pomfrey," he instructed Daphne, who nodded. Theodore pulled her up, letting Daphne lean against him. She gingerly took a step with her left leg, wincing slightly but nothing more. Harry grinned—she had sprained her ankle. He had imagined it would be worse.

"Thank you, James," Theodore said quietly. Harry shrugged, turning to look at Hogsmeade. Flames were still up in the air, but wizards and witches alike were shouting water spells. Slowly, the fire was dying down. Turning back to Theo, Harry flashed him a smile.

"No problem, Theodore. See you guys around. Oh, and Arianna," Harry called as the trio made their way. Arianna turned around, eyebrows raised. Harry's grin grew wider. "Nice job out there. You're good." A small smile settled on Arianna's face, and she waved.

"Bye, James."

* * *

Harry sighed as he continued to stare out the window. Hedwig gave a quiet hoot. Harry turned to the snow-white owl, giving her a treat. Hedwig gave another hoot.

"Yes, Hedwig?" Harry asked. Hedwig raised a talon, and pointed it at the window, which was open. Harry caught on immediately. He nodded, a smile on his. Harry took a step back, closing his eyes. Slowly, he seemed to shrink. His bones snapped and twisted, rearranging themselves as feathers grew on his body and his arms changed to wings.

Hedwig let out another happy hoot, and flew out of the window. A peregrine falcon followed her out into the night air.

Harry smiled as he flew, shifting his wings to catch the air. Giving a flap, he pushed himself upwards, then twisted into a dive. The cold air rushed past him as he torpedoed to the green grass. 10 feet . . . 5 feet . . . and up!

Harry stopped right before the ground, zooming back upwards. Hedwig let out an amused hoot. Harry continued to do small tricks, following Hedwig. The air rushed under his wings as he gave powerful flaps. His bird's-eye view observed everything as his ears collected the sounds.

Hogsmeade was rather empty, once again. It seemed that Madam Puddifoot's had been the building that had burned. Most residents had closed their shops, giving everyone time to regain their senses. Aurors were still around, surveying everything. Wizards and witches hadn't bothered to visit, terrified that Death Eaters would attack once more.

Harry hadn't seen anyone for a couple of weeks. Rosmerta hadn't sent him to Hogwarts at all. Harry gave another flap, then gave a sharp turn, back to the Three Broomsticks. He flew back quickly, deciding he'd head over to Hogwarts tomorrow. Hedwig continued flying, but not after giving yet another screech as a farewell. Harry gave the peregrine falcon's "kak, kak, kak" sound, then entered back to his room using the window.

Harry wanted to fly some more, but he was tired. It was dark, and if he were to visit Hogwarts tomorrow, he wanted to get there early. After all, there was lots to do. The Three Broomsticks was still open, and people were still coming. If he started working early, Rosmerta might let him get off early.

Shifting back, Harry sighed and collapsed on his bed. He needed to think up a plan. Harry felt a sharp pang in his heart. If only his Hermione and Ron were alive and here. They'd think up a strategy together in no time.

Harry sighed once again, closing his eyes. Soon, he drifted off into sleep.

* * *

"Rosmerta! Can I go now?" Harry asked once again. Rosmerta raised her eyes heavenward, groaning.

"Fine, James." And Harry was running out the door. "You better get back her soon!" Rosmerta called after him. Harry waved, and continued running.

He jogged up to Hogwarts school, a large grin on his face. Of course, Harry was rather stupid sometimes, and ran into a person walking in front of him.

"Ow!" the girl (woman?) complained. However, she quickly schooled her features, and suddenly, she seemed to depart from this scenerio

"Merlin, I'm sorry," Harry said, getting up and extending a hand towards to woman. She grabbed it (almost missed it, really), then pulled herself up.

The woman had very long, very pale, blonde hair. It was extremely curly, and hung around her hips. Her eyes were a startling blue-green. They seemed to go right through Harry. Not in the sense that she could see through his glamour, but in a way that suggested she couldn't see him, or that he wasn't there. The woman was very short, around 5'2" or so. She was slender with fair skin. Her eyes darted this way and that. She looked rather unfocused, as if she didn't know she had fallen at all.

"Shit, Lumin. Are you ok?" a worried voice asked from behind Harry. Harry almost started. Sirius Black seemed genuinely worried about this Lumin.

Then he noticed the ring.


	4. Chapter 3

"I'm fine, Sirius," the woman said dismissively, still staring through Harry. "Are you James Black?" Her voice sounded a bit like Luna's. Less dreamy, though. "Are you James Black?" the woman repeated. Harry shrugged, staring back. If she was anything like Luna ...

"I believe you know the answer to that," Harry responded evenly. A smile crept over her face, and the woman shook her head, as if exasperated. Sirius wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He peered at Harry, trying to place him.

"Oh! You're the boy who bumped into me!" Sirius exclaimed, snapping his fingers. Harry nodded, casting a glance towards the woman. Sirius chuckled. "The beautiful bird next to me is my girlfriend, Luminescence Shaw." Harry cocked his head.

"What about the ring?" he asked, looking at the ring in question. Sirius shook his head. Luminescence just continued to smile as she answered Harry's question.

"Sirius tends to be very ... extravagant. Everyone tends to think we're married because of this ring. However, this is a promise ring." She lifted her finger. "Anyways, James, are you here to visit Hogwarts?" Harry grinned, and fell into step with the two.

"You remind me of someone I know, Miss Shaw. Her name's Luna. She actually looks a lot like you, actually ..." Harry trailed off. Luminescence cast a glance towards the castle, shrugging.

"Sirius, go on," she commanded. Sirius nodded, not looking very surprised. He walked a bit faster, moving away from Luminescence and Harry.

"Call me Lumin," the girl said easily. "Luna's my niece. Xeno's my brother-in-law. Sirius is my 15th cousin." Harry was bit thrown off, but quickly adapted. Luna's mother had still died in this dimension, so he decided it would be better not to mention Selene Lovegood.

"Ah. So how long have you been dating Sirius?" he asked conversationally. Lumin shrugged.

"Well, I'm technically his fiancée, if you go by this ring. He promised we'd get married when we win." Lumin seemed utterly convicted in her (or Sirius's) words. "I believe we will win. Haven't you noticed that the bad guys always lose?" Lumin turned her head towards Harry. For a second, Harry swore that this woman _could _see beyond his glamour.

"Well, yes," Harry conceded. He was going to continue, but Lumin beat him.

"But too many lives are lost anyway," she said knowingly. Harry nodded. Lumin shook her head, hair a wild mane.

"Well, James, I believe we've arrived at Hogwarts," Lumin said, entering the school. Harry followed her inside. Another woman was waiting for her, it seemed.

This woman was very short, around 5 feet. Her hair was light brown and in a shag cut. Her eyes were a bright blue, and they seemed wild. She was very curvy, and it fit her petite figure. She mumbled something when she caught sight of Lumin.

"You've brought him here?" she murmured, voice raspy and harsh. Her eyes met Harry's, and she let out a small scream, backing up. "You brought him here? The one with destruction in his veins?" Her hand flew up to her head, and she let out another scream, this one a bit louder. Harry took a step back. The woman's eyes became wilder. Storms seemed to appear, and she had a feral look on her face.

"He'll kill us all, Luminescence. All of us." The woman crumpled to the ground, letting out another scream. Luminescence didn't look surprised. Harry eyed the woman nervously, words ringing in his ears.

_The one with destruction in his veins_

_The one with destruction in his veins_

___The one with destruction in his veins_

Harry shook himself out of it, trying to tell himself it was the stupidity of some woman. The feeling in his gut didn't disappear.

The woman suddenly twitched, then slowly got up. Harry watched in surprise as she pulled herself off the ground, still looking savage. However, she looked a bit more tame now.

"Seren," Lumin said sharply. Seren looked at Harry, but did not say a word to him. "Seren," Lumin repeated, walking towards the woman. Seren exhaled, looking tired.

"I'm fine," Seren spat on ground, backing away from Lumin. "Don't come any closer." She leaned against the wall, trying to get away from Lumin's outstretched hand. Lumin sighed, pulling back. Seren seemed to relax, but when her eyes landed on Harry once again, she startled.

"_Sectumsempra!_" she exclaimed, wand sliding into her hand. Lumin's eyes widened. Harry quickly ducked, dodging the spell. Lumin moved forward, standing between Harry and Seren. Lumin was holding her own wand, and Harry saw that the perceptiveness had been running in the Shaw family for a while.

"Enough, Seren," Lumin commanded. Seren put her wand down immediately.

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am." She saluted Lumin, who sighed. Harry watched Seren curiously. Her mood had changed so quickly ...

"Go. Ask Snape for a Calming Draught," Lumin ordered. Seren nodded and walked away. Lumin sighed and holstered her wand.

"That was Seren Hayden, my best friend since the dawn of time. Of course, the students call her Professor Hayden," Lumin told Harry. The two kept walking.

"What does she teach?" Harry asked.

"Divination. Lately she's been acting weirder than usual," Lumin explained, although Harry she sounded more guarded. "Apparently, she keeps seeing a green-eyed boy with unruly black hair and a lightning bolt scar. He's supposed to bring destruction wherever he goes. Crazy, right?" Lumin asked rhetorically, looking ahead.

Harry nodded shakily. He'd have to watch out for that woman. He suspected Lumin wasn't letting on as much as she could.

"So, why'd you come to Hogwarts?" Lumin inquired, changing the topic without any warning. Harry was used to it. Luna did that a lot.

"I've come to see Professor Dumbledore," Harry explained. Lumin nodded. They stopped walking when they reached the gargoyle.

"Password's 'Peppermint Humbugs'. Why Dumbledore would make the password that ..." Lumin trailed off. Harry nodded and walked up to the gargoyle.

"Peppermint Humbugs," he stated. The staircase was revealed. Harry stepped onto it and walked up.

"See you round, James," Lumin said, and walked away. Harry reached the top of the stairs and knocked.

"Come in!" Harry opened the door and walked into Dumbledore's office. The place was just as cluttered here, as there. Gold machines that did who-knows-what puffed and coughed on long tables. The walls were adorned with the pictures of the previous headmasters. Dumbledore sat at his desk, looking over papers. He looked up.

"My, my, if it isn't James Black. Do come and sit," Dumbledore said jovially. Harry moved forward cautiously and sat rigidly. "Lemon drop?" Dumbledore said. Harry shook his head. He took a look at the stack of papers Dumbledore had been reading. The one on top read "Wendy Pouic." Dumbledore's handwriting was scribbled across the top of the paper. It read, "Sorry, you aren't fit for being the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"So, Mr. Black. May I ask why you're here today?" Dumbledore questioned. Harry shrugged.

"Well, sir, I was wondering if there was anyway I could teach at Hogwarts. While I enjoy helping Rosmerta, I think it'd be better if I were able to get a stable job here," Harry responded. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. He didn't know that Harry had thought it all out.

"Well, James, my boy, the Defense position is open. If you'd like, you could send in a—" Harry cut the old wizard off.

"Here's some proof, Dumbledore." With that, he did his best on using his sledgehammer-like Legilimency. Staring straight into Dumbledore's eyes, he shoved himself into Dumbledore's mind. The old man recoiled immediately, walls going up. Once again, Harry pushed. Then, just for one small second, Harry was in.

Dumbledore pushed him out ASAP, obviously, but Harry had proven himself.

"Well, I believe you are the first in years to break into my mind, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said quietly. A small smile broke over his face. "You're hired."

Harry almost cheered. Almost.

"Now, I believe you know some of the teachers. Sirius Black teaches History of Magic. Remus Lupin is his assistant." Dumbledore was going to continue, but Harry asked a small question.

"Then what does Lumin do?" he wondered aloud. Dumbledore blinked.

"Luminescence Shaw? Oh, she shares a room with Sirius. She isn't a teacher, though. Anyways, then there's Aurora Sinistra. She teaches Astronomy. Severus Snape teaches Potions. He's also the Head of Slytherin. Seren Hayden is the Divination professor. Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick teach Transfiguration and Charms, respectively. Minerva's Head of Gryffindor, while Filius is the Head of Ravenclaw. Pomona Sprout does Herbology, while Septima Vector teaches Arithmancy. Pomona is Head of Hufflepuff.

"Hyacinth Lake teaches Muggle Studies. Igor Crane teaches Care of Magical Creatures, while Bathsheda Babbling teachs Ancient Runes. Rolanda Hooch teaches flying to the first years." Dumbledore went on to explain some other classes, such as Muggle Art, Muggle Music, and Magical Theory. Up until then, Harry hadn't known exactly how many teachers there were at Hogwarts.

Hagrid was still the gamekeeper, and Flich was still the caretaker. Sadly, Mrs. Norris was still alive.

"Well, this is a Hogsmeade weekend, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said once he was finished. "I suggest going back to Rosmerta and telling her." Harry nodded, and got up.

"Goodbye, Mr. Dumbledore. I'll be back soon." Harry made to head out the door, but Dumbledore called out to him.

"Here, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said, getting up. He handed Harry a thick packet of paper. "This has the year plan for Defense, along with some other stuff, like a map of Hogwarts, the rules, and some more. I circled your office and classroom on the map," Dumbledore informed him. Harry nodded, shrinking the packet and shoving it into his pocket.

"Goodbye, Headmaster," Harry said. Dumbledore nodded, a serene smile on his face.

"Farewell, Mr. Black. Oh, and since we already have one Professor Black, the students will be addressing you as Professor James."

* * *

Harry placed Hedwig in her cage, locking it. Bending over his trunk, he quickly double-checked it.

Firebolt? Check. Packet? Check. Clothes? Check. Various spellbooks from his old dimension? Check. Various books? Check. Photo albums? Check. Shoes? Check. Parchment? Check. Quills? Check. Ink? Check. Money? Check. Various potions? Check. Bags? Check. Toiletries? Check.

_OK, _Harry said to himself. _I'm good to go._

He bounded down the stairs after levitating the cage and his trunk. Running into the bar, he smiled at Rosmerta, who approached him.

"Thanks for all the help, James. You'll have lots of fun at Hogwarts," she said, a watery smile on her face. "You better visit." Harry chuckled, hugging Rosmerta.

"I will, Rosie. See you soon," he responded, stepping out of the hug. Rosmerta nodded, and shoved him towards the door.

"Bye, James!" she called after him, waving. Harry grinned and saluted her.

"Goodbye, Rosmerta!" With that, Harry broke into a run, trunk and cage following him from above. He sprinted through the abandoned streets of Hogsmeade, soon arriving at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry entered the school, resisting the urge to whistle. Students eyed him, somewhat surprised to see him with a trunk and cage. Theo was walking along the halls when he caught sight of "James". He quickly caught up with the teen, falling into step beside him.

"Hello, James," he greeted the man. "Er, not to be rude, but why are you here?" Harry grinned at Theo's question.

"It's not just James anymore, Theodore. It's _Professor _James," Harry declared. Next to him, Theo tripped over his own feet, stumbling. Harry sniggered. It wasn't often that one could catch Theodore Nott off-guard.

"What are you teaching?" Theo asked, looking somewhat curious. Harry gave a small smile.

"Defense. What else? You know how Dumbledore hasn't hired a Defense professor yet. You've just had the other teachers taking turns. But now he's hired me," Harry said, grinning. Theo shook his head.

"I always knew the man was mental. See you tomorrow, _Professor_," Theo said mockingly, giving a small bow before blending into the shadows. Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Mr. Nott," Harry said, continuing down the halls. He heard a small laugh echo down the halls. Harry's grin only grew wider as Theo chortled. Shaking his head, Harry gave a sharp turn and entered his room. The office was next to his room. The office was connected to his classroom.

All in all, it worked out.

Harry opened the window and unlocked Hedwig's cage. Setting his trunk down, he opened up the wardrobe. Opening his trunk with a flick of his wand, Harry began to levitate the clothes onto it. When he was finished, he entered his bathroom. Quickly, he organized his shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc., etc. Soon, he was done.

Harry left his room, knowing he'd have to go to dinner soon. He made a mental note to check the packet so he could begin to organize the next lesson. Striding down the halls, Harry went to dinner.

One particular thought stood out in his mind.

_This will be interesting._


	5. Chapter 4

Harry walked into the Great Hall, ducking his head instinctively. But he didn't feel anyone's gaze on him, so he took a look upwards. No one was watching him as he quickly sat down at the staff table. Dumbledore gave him a small smile and stood up. The students quieted immediately.

"Good evening. I hope you have all had a nice day at Hogsmeade." Here, Dumbledore gave pause. There were a few twitters in the crowd. Dumbledore gave the students a smile, eyes twinkling as he continued. "Now, as you know, I have not hired a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor yet. However, I have found someone. Students, I give you James Black."

Harry gave a small wave from the staff table. His eyes fell on Arianna, who's jaw was on the ground. Daphne's eyes were wide, and she seemed to think Dumbledore was joking. Theo patted her back, a smirk on his face. The students were muttering variations of "I thought he worked at the Three Broomsticks!" or "But he looks so _young_!" In one particularly scarring case, there was "Is it against the rules to bed a teacher?"

Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. _That _was why women could be worse then Death Eaters.

Thank Merlin that Dumbledore was unusually good at manipulating crowds. Dumbledore cleared his throat. A silence fell over said crowd.

"Now, since you already have one Professor Black"—Dumbledore gestured to said professor—"you will all be addressing James as Professor James. Understood?" The students all nodded. Dumbledore let another smile grace his face.

"Tuck in!" The food appeared immediately, along with loud noises. Harry filled up his goblet with pumpkin juice, taking some food as well. Immediately, he dug in. While he was eating, he felt a small tap on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw a woman.

She was rather tall—around 6 feet, maybe a bit more. Her pin-straight hair was a glossy black. It reached a bit below her shoulder. She had almond eyes. They were a chocolatey brown. The woman had an athletic build—she was rather lean. Along with that, she was very tan. She had a easy-going smile on her face.

"Hello, Mr. Black. I'm Hyacinth Lake. I teach Muggle Studies—although I believe Professor Dumbledore already told you that," she said lightly. She had a bit of a machine-gun way of speaking.

"Er ... hi," Harry said tentatively. "And call me James. I'm only 19, after all." Hyacinth's jaw dropped.

"19? Not bad . . . no, not bad at all. What are you, some sort of prodigy?" she scoffed, peering at him. "I don't know about you, but if it hadn't been for Lumin, Seren and I wouldn't have even scraped an A . . ." she trailed off, eyes glazing over. "We were the Misfits. Lumin was the perceptive Ravenclaw, I the daring Gryff, and Seren was the cunning Slytherin ..." She said this so quietly. It was practically inaudible. If Harry hadn't been straining to hear, he probably wouldn't have heard a thing.

"I heard someone say my name," a silky voice remarked. Harry turned, surprised to see Seren—the cunning Slytherin. Harry had to admit, he wouldn't have pegged her as a Slytherin. Seren was just too . . . off. But apparently, she had been part of the snake den.

"Oh, I was just muttering about our school experience," Hyacinth said smoothly, eyes trained on Seren. It was like she expected Seren to suddenly explode. But the brunette merely took a bite out of a treacle tart.

"The Misfits and Marauders Era?" Seren asked, a wistful smile pulling at her lips. "No, can't say I prefer this to that." Her eyes wandered over the staff table. Hyacinth nodded, a tight smile on her face. Seren seemed to drift off, and Hyacinth's smile slipped off her face.

"What's wrong with her? She acts oddly, and Lumin and yours' entire demeanor changed the moment she pops up," Harry hissed, trying his best to be quiet. To his surprise, Seren heard.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about me behind my back," she said coolly, not looking very happy. Harry found himself trying to understand Seren. How much of this woman was calculation? How much of it was genuine madness?

"Sorry, Miss Hayden," Harry apologized politely. Seren looked angry, for a second. She looked downright livid, for a moment.

"Are you? You're eyes are ... _unforgivable_," Seren said. Harry's eye twitched. Unforgivable ... what what she saying? Perhaps she meant Unforgivables, as in the spells. Suddenly, it clicked in Harry's mind. Unforgivable = Avada Kadevra = green = color of Harry's eyes. Seren's eyes had that feral look in them again, the kind that conveyed one message, and one message only: kill or be killed. A small smile was on Seren's face, and Harry knew why she had been Sorted into Slytherin._  
_

"I don't know what you're talking about, Miss Hayden," Harry responded, trying to be polite. Seren merely kept that smile, turning to eat her food. Her mouth moved wordlessly.

Then, Seren blinked, getting up from the table. She looked green. Hyacinth gave a small glance at it. Her eyebrows furrowed, before something seemed to dawn on her. Seren looked like she was about to throw up.

"I do believe I'm done with dinner," she said, hugging herself tightly. Her voice was raspy again. She hurried away. Hyacinth got up, giving Harry a sideways glance.

"Don't pry, boy," she hissed, before running after Seren.

Harry stared after them, a look of the deepest confusion etched on his face.

"Wow, that was the quickest one yet," a voice said behind Harry. He whirled around and found himself face to face with Remus Lupin. He looked exactly like he did in the other dimension, Harry noted. Lupin pointed after Seren and Hyacinth.

"Every time a new teacher comes, Seren always starts acting weird during their first meal here. And at some point during the new teacher's first meal, she always runs off, always followed by Hyacinth. But I've got to say, James, Seren ran off faster than at any other dinner. Well done," he finished dryly. "All of us teachers have tried to find out why Seren acts that way, but to no avail. Hyacinth and Lumin are the only other people who know Seren's condition and there not being particularly helpful on that matter," Lupin explained.

Harry nodded slowly, absorbing the information.

"Best finish your dinner and go to sleep early. Those kids can be very rowdy to inexperienced teachers. Very rowdy." Lupin turned away, but Harry caught the smirk on his face. _Oh, Remus. You wouldn't believe how rowdy I know they can be._ Harry sighed aloud, looking around. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.

* * *

The crowd of 7th years (Gryffindor and Slytherin, to be exact) bustled into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom excitedly, talking about the new teacher. When they entered the room they were surprised to see no one behind the teacher's desk.

Murmuring, they sat down in desks and waited. For the first two minutes, the class was deathly silent, but as the minutes wore on, they began to talk among themselves animatedly. It was nearing the ten minute mark when Harry burst into the room, looking like he'd just gotten out of bed, which he in fact, had.

His glasses were askew and his black hair very messy. His clothes were rumpled and one of his shoelaces was untied. People started snickering, Arianna loudest of all. Harry rolled his eyes, and took out his wand. Silently, he cast a _Silencio_ on the whole class. Striding up to the front, he sat down, fixing his glasses and doing the trademark Potter move—he ran a hand through his messy black hair.

"Hello, class. Today we'll be going over nonverbal magic, which I believe you started learning last year. However, I'm pretty sure that none of you can do a nonverbal spell to save your life." Harry grinned crookedly. "Of course, if you wish to contradict me, please raise your hand. I'm sure that the _silencio _will help with the nonverbal part of nonverbal spells," he said.

Ron Weasley was turning a terrible shade of puce. Hermione Granger looked as if she wanted to faint. Ron, being the idiot that he was, stuck his hand up. Hermione's jaw dropped. Harry lazily waved his hand at Ron, gesturing for him to stand up.

"Mr. Weasley, correct? Now, I want you to silently _accio _that chalk over there," Harry pointed to said chalk. Ron aimed his wand at it, turning purpler and purpler as the time went on. 5 minutes ticked pass with no avail. Harry groaned, looking exasperated.

"Sit down, Mr. Weasley. Who's the dumb-ass who taught you last year?" he asked rhetorically. If he were to go by the gleeful looks on the Gryffindors' faces, he would've guessed that it had been Snape. The Slytherins glared as Harry continued.

"Now, we'll be doing lots of nonverbal work. Throughout the lesson, I want you guys to try and break out of my _silencio_. It isn't a particularly strong one, so I think at least one of you should be able to. Whoever manages to break it gets no homework," Harry finished. The students immediately perked up.

"Nonverbal spells require lots of concentration and mental discipline. Also, surprisingly enough, the wand has to do a lot with it. Harry waved a hand towards the chalk, which flew up to write on the blackboard. Soon, it read in big, large letters, some information.

**WANDS MADE OUT OF DOGWOOD REFUSE TO DO NONVERBAL MAGIC**

**WANDS MADE OUT OF PINE ARE VERY SENSITIVE NONVERBAL MAGIC**

There were only a few sentences.

"That's all you need to know, wand-wise. Most wands are ok with magic. Of course, some are better then Transfiguration, while some may be meant for Charms. Anyways. Get up." The class scrambled up from their seats at Harry's words. With a swish of his wand, the desks flew to the walls, making space for the students.

"Get into a horizontal line," Harry commanded, getting up. In the end, there were two lines. The Gryffindors were up front, while the Slytherins were in the back. There was a meter or two between each, which worked out fine for Harry. Silently, he conjured a small object in front of each student.

"I want you all to work on getting that twig to move. There's a forcefield in front of you, so you can't move forwards and use your hands or something to move it. I also put a couple of spells on the twigs themselves. They can only be moved by nonverbal magic. Anyone who gets it to move an inch earns 20 points. Oh!" Harry paused to conjure a small ruler so he could measure the movement. Clapping his hands together, he grinned at the class. "Begin!"

It didn't surprise Harry when Theodore Nott broke out of the _silencio_. It also didn't surprise Harry when no one got the twig to move even a millimeter.

* * *

"My lord," Severus Snape said, bowing to Voldemort.

"What is happening in Hogwarts, Severus?" Voldemort asked, not turning to look at the Death Eater.

"There is a new teacher, milord. His name is James Black. I do not know much about him—he is an . . . enigma," Severus responded, head still bowed low. Voldemort nodded.

"I want you to find out all that you can about this James Black. He seems rather powerful. Report to me next month, Severus," the Dark Lord commanded, finally turning to Severus. "He could be an asset . . . or a threat. I need to know more. When you come back, you better have information, Severus." Severus didn't flinch as he looked up to stare into Voldemort's eyes.

"Yes, milord. I live to serve, milord."


	6. Chapter 5

Blah blah blah = Parseltongue.

_Blah blah blah_ = Emphasized words/thoughts

**Blah blah blah **= Author's Notes

Blah blah blah = Normal

* * *

On Hogsmeade weekend, Harry was stuck inside, grading papers.

7th year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws filed out of the DADA classroom, smiling and chatting animatedly. It was their third class with the new teacher, Professor James and they absolutely adored him. Harry, inside the classroom, sighed and sat down in his chair. Teaching was hard work, but also fun. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were the last class of the day and he was looking forward to the rest of the weekend in Hogsmeade. And visiting Rosmerta. But first he had to do a much less enjoyable task: grading essays from the third years on werewolves. Sighing he picked up the bundle of parchment and started reading.

The time passed quickly and it was nearing midnight. Harry was still at his desk working. The corridors were silent and empty. Then a nearly inaudible footstep bounced off the marble walls. Harry didn't notice it. The footsteps continued, drawing closer and closer to the DADA classroom. The hairs on Harry's neck started to prickle. He looked up. The footsteps stopped directly outside the classroom's door. Harry watched the doorknob slowly turn. The door swung open ...

"Hi, James!" Lumin said brightly. Harry sighed in relief and relaxed in his chair. "I saw a light in here and assumed you were still working. It's almost midnight. You should be sleeping," she reprimanded him. Harry shrugged, but turned off the light and walked too the doorway. Lumin accompanied him through the halls.

"So, I hear all anyone can talk about is the new teacher in DADA. Sirius was complaining about how no one was paying attention to him in History of Magic. I'm not sure why he's whining about it. History of Magic is so boring, no one ever pays attention, especially if there's any juicy gossip going around. When Snape got the job ... well, I didn't hear the word 'history' for a month," Lumin said, giggling. Harry cocked his head.

"Am I really that popular around here?" he asked rhetorically. "I had no idea." Lumin nodded solemnly.

"You are the best professor, ever. You want to know why? You've managed to keep the DADA job for more than a day! Well done!" Lumin said, trying to keep a straight face. At the end, though, her stern look disappeared and she burst out laughing. Harry smiled in a way he had not smiled in a long, long time.

Lumin was like a cure for him, actually making him laugh. She had a great personality and was very beautiful, inside and out. All in all, he thought Sirius couldn't have picked a better girl.

"Here you are, James," Lumin said a few minutes later, standing in front of Harry's room. Harry opened the door and walked in. He turned around to say good-bye to Lumin, but she was gone. Harry shrugged. She was related to the Shaws after all, and if you're a Shaw, there aways gonna be a touch of ... originality in you. _'Night, Lumin._

* * *

"Hasn't your ... _girlfriend_," Snape sneered, "been spending lots of time with Professor James?" Sirius immediately tensed at Snape's words.

"Exactly what are you trying to say, Snive—Snape?" Sirius corrected himself. Snape just curled his lip.

"Nothing, nothing. Just pointing out the obvious. The vapid Ravenclaw might be getting tired of you, Black. But you're too full of yourself to ever think that could happen, aren't you?" Snape smirked. Hopefully, Sirius knew a thing or two and would end up revealing it ...

Poor Snape. After all, he didn't know _anything_.

"Lumin isn't vapid, Sniv—_Snape_. And she's loyal ... unlike some other people." He gave Snape a pointed look. "Plus, James would never do that. Not to mention he's 19 while Lumin and I are older then 30. Be logical, Snape," Sirius bit off. At that moment, Harry walked inside the room.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, sitting down on a chair. It was a staff meeting—Harry already hated those. Snape just gave his deluxe sneer. Sirius waved at Harry.

"Hi, James." McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout echoed it as well. Soon after, Remus, Seren, and Hyacinth entered. Seren (surprisingly) sat down next to Snape, giving him a small smile. Harry inwardly shrugged it off. She had probably sat next to him once or twice and he just hadn't noticed. Then, Hyacinth sat down next to Harry. Harry almost fell out of his seat, he was so shocked. Sirius sniggered while Remus smiled.

"James," Hyacinth began, looking regretful for a second. "I think we might've gotten off on the wrong foot. May we clean the slate?"

"Clean the slate?" Sirius repeated. Hyacinth waved it off.

"Muggle saying, Sirius. Anyways, James?" she asked, turning back to Harry. Harry nodded.

"Fine by me. My fault, really. I shouldn't have pried," Harry responded. Hyacinth smiled, then moved away, sitting with Lumin.

"Uh, what's this staff meeting for?" Harry asked, looking around.

"Dumbledore's ... annoying, like that. Probably wants to discuss the latest fashion," Seren muttered. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"You aren't a fan of the old guy?"

"I cut all the strings a long time ago," she said, playing with her clothes. Harry nodded, guessing that there was probably a double meaning in there. On the the other hand, he didn't feel like trying to figure it out. Seren looked away, crossing her arms.

Soon after, Dumbledore walked in.

"Hello, staff," he beamed. "I wanted to talk about Quidditch matches ..."

* * *

The first time Harry saw Nagini, he ended up speaking Parseltongue.

He had been in the Owlery, finishing up a letter for Rosmerta. It was a short one.

_Rosmerta-_

_'Lo, Rosie. Yeah, I've talked and met most of the teachers by now. Dumbledore needs a bit more Butterbeer though, for the event. Sorry I couldn't come to Hogsmeade—I'll try and visit soon, though._

_Hope work isn't too tough without me._

_-J_

"Ah!" Harry yelped, jumping back in surprise. Nagini hissed, raising her head to stare at Harry.

"Arianna is amused by the oddest things," the snake said, glaring at Harry.

"Tell Arianna that 5 points from Slytherin were just taken," Harry muttered, accidentally showing his Parselmouth ability. And, of course, Nagini let out a hiss filled with expletives that she had probably learned from Arianna herself.

"Tell me I misheard that and you spoke English, James," a voice said.

"Oh ... um, hi, Miss Potter. I think I'll be going now ... have to grade those defense papers ..." Harry trailed off, backing up. Theodore and Daphne were eyeing him, eyes wide and jaw on the ground, respectively.

"Ex_cuse _me? No, you will not be going now, because last time I checked, Voldy and I are the only Parselmouths, so you better spit it out. Nagini," she said, turning to the snake and bending down. Arianna picked her up, setting the snake on her shoulders. "This man spoke the language of snakes, correct?"

"Yes," the snake replied. "He said, 'Tell Arianna that 5 points from Slytherin were just taken,'" Nagini quoted. Arianna nodded.

"Now, Nagini just told me you were a Parselmouth. Care to explain?"

"My mom was a direct descendant of Slytherin," Harry lied. Eh, it was a possibility. Lily Potter had been an outstanding witch, able to master Blood Magic. Not to mention she had green eyes. Maybe, what, 50 generations before her, the great-great-great-etc. grandson of Slytherin married a Muggle in the Evans line or something.

Arianna looked surprised, before recovering. "Yeah, I'm sort of one too," she said, shrugging. "My mum was related to him." Harry's jaw almost dropped. Lily Potter _was _a descendant?

"Who was your mum?"

"Lily Potter. Half-blood," Arianna replied.

"This is _not _fair," Daphne piped up, looking annoyed.

"Yeah, why can't I be a direct descendant of Slytherin?" Theodore complained. "Ugh, you two are so annoying. Parselmouths, descendants of Salazar himself, good duelers ... Merlin." Arianna sniggered, before hissing to Nagini.

"He is related to the Great One," she said. Harry assumed she meant Slytherin. Remembering something, Harry snapped his fingers, turning to the Daphne.

"Well, now that I've explained how I'm a Parselmouth ... Daphne, you barely scraped an A on your last paper. And you had the exact same one as Theodore."

* * *

"Please welcome our Slytherin Quidditch team! Urquhart, Malfoy, Zabini, Fox, Pennington, Vaisey, aaaaaand Potter!" The Slytherins cheered while the Gryffindors booed. It was the first Quidditch match of the season and it was Gryffindor on Slytherin. A Ravenclaw boy named Jacob Martins had taken Lee Jordan's place. The stands were, as usual, filled to capacity.

The Quidditch stands had been something of a surprise to Harry. The stands were inside a plain-looking, wooden, square building, only able to hold the stands because of magic. This way, no weather ever affected the players and it was super roomy and cozy. If only the Quidditch stands in his dimension were like this ... The seats were something else altogether. Instead of hard, metal bleachers, there were soft, silk seats with _backs._ Harry was really starting to think this dimension was better than his old one.

"And now, our Gryffindor Quidditch team! Bell, Thomas, Robins, Peakes, Coote, Weasley, aaaaaaand Weasley!" Once again, the stands erupted into sound. The game quickly started. Harry quickly realized that the two teams were about even, both good and bad players.

"Bell has the Quaffle! She's streaking down the field! Pennington aims a Bludger at her and ... it misses! She's at the hoops! She throws, Vaisey goes after it, and BELL SCORES FOR GRYFFINDOR! The score is now 30-20, in favor of Gryffindor!" The shouting reached a crescendo. Play continued for a while. Neither Ginny nor Arianna had been able to locate the Snitch.

"100-50, Gryffindor in the lead! Slytherin better pick it up!" After that announcement, Slytherin seemed to play with a whole new energy. They started scoring left and right. Vaisey still hadn't blocked anything but Slytherin was picking up the pace. Soon they were tied, 120-120. Up in the air, Arianna looked confident, but annoyed. Her eyes darted around the Pitch, looking for a flash of golden.

Suddenly, she saw it, hovering above a crowd of Ravenclaws in the stands. She sped toward it. Unfortunately, the Weaslette had also spotted it. Ginny turned her broom immediately. She was closer to the Ravenclaws, but the Firebolt wasn't an international broom for nothing.

In a moment, Arianna was neck-to-neck with Ginny. Players seemed to stop for a moment to stare at the two Seekers, willing their own to go faster. Arianna urged her broom faster. She was close, so close. The Weaselette was speeding in, too. Arianna reached out a hand, eyes watering from the speed. Her fingers closed around cold metal.

"YES!" she whooped. She held the Snitch up. The stadium went wild. Gryffindors booed while Slytherins screamed and laughed. Jacob Martins made the final announcement.

"Slytherin wins 270-120!" Jacob exclaimed.

Slytherin players did a victory lap before coming down to the ground. The moment they got off, they engulfed Arianna, patting her on the back and congratulating her.

All of them looked happy, except Draco. He was glaring at Arianna, looking jealous. Harry guessed that Malfoy had tried out for Seeker, but Arianna beat him. He snorted when Arianna stuck out her tongue, looking happy.

Sometimes, Fate's decision makes you want to bang your head against a wall. But other times, they can be sweet. Oh, yes, life can be sweet.

* * *

Harry flew out the window in his Animagus form. He wanted to visit Hogsmeade today.

Peregrine falcons were fast. A 10 minute walk was a 2-3 minute fly for them. If they were really pushing it, they could probably get there under 2 minutes.

Harry was definitely pushing it. He arrived after 1 minute and 30 seconds. Swooping down behind a random shop, he switched to his human form.

Whistling, he walked into Hogsmeade.

Animagus training had taken a while, but he had finally gotten it. Using the old notes of Sirius and his father, Harry had been able to master it. He had been rather happy about his form.

"Professor James!" someone said. Harry turned around to see Hermione. He gave her a smile, entering the Three Broomsticks with her. They sat down at a table.

Hermione still didn't trust him. On the other hand, there was her respect for authority. Lately, she had been asking him lots of questions on homework. He wouldn't be surprised if there was another one.

"Hello, Professor," Hermione said politely. "I had a question on the essay you gave us ..."


End file.
